Valentine Okafor
Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Seme border, have intercepted fake $6 million (about N2.7 billion) at the border.
The operatives also confiscated 1,300 by 30 liters jerry cans of smuggled petrol; multiple international passports and international drivers licenses from suspected cross-border syndicates.
Parading the items at the Seme Border on Thursday, Controller, NCS, Seme Border Command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi said the significant seizure signifies the commitment of his men to tackling illicit items coming or going out of the country.
He said four suspects have been arrested in connection with the items. Two of them were arrested while conveying the fake currency from Nigeria to the Republic of Benin, while the two others were arrested with multiple international passports and drivers licenses.
Nnadi said the arrest was made at Gbaji checkpoint along the Seme corridor on the 31 of January, 2023.
Other items seized were: Six Maltese international passports with the same picture of a lady but bearing different names. Two Senegalese international passports. Three Togolese international passports. Four Republic of Benin international passports. One Republic of Niger international passport and 10 international drivers license of various countries from two male suspects who are also in custody pending further investigation.
The fuel seized is equivalent of 39,000 liters, roughly over one fuel tanker of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). The products were seized from along the creeks.
Other items seized include 55 sacks containing 550 pieces of donkey skin with DPV of N11.3 million. “The significant of the seizure is that it shows how much our endanger species are being eroded by unpatriotic elements,” he stated.
Nnadi, who resumed at the Seme Command about 13 days ago, said the command has facilitated the movement of ETLS by 70 trucks with fees amounting to N1.4 million collected.
He said about 81 baggage declarations were made within the 13 days, with duty amounting to N4.5 million. “The items imported under this arrangement include food products and beverages produced within the sub-region,” he stated.
He said the major source of revenue of the command (import and export) have not been enhanced since the opening of the land borders by the Federal Government of Nigeria, as the traders are still bracing with the challenges of having been out of business for over two years.
According to Nnadi, the achievements took the painstaking efforts of the officers who spent hours on patrol and surveillance to record the seizures.
He said the command would continue to dialogue, engage, sensitize and educate the public on social/economic implication of smuggling as well as performing statutory function of enforcing compliance in line with government fiscal policies.
He also appealed to parents and guardians residing in border communities to prevail on their children, wards and youths to desist from such criminal acts such as smuggling.
